Once upon a time, in a land far far away – if you were gay – you were called a faggot. Now mind you, this wasn’t a very nice term to be called and there were no “faggot” social groups in existence. So if you wanted to get together, you came up with an inconspicious group name, got together and formed your queer community. You couldn’t call it a “gay” group (that didn’t sound very original), you couldn’t call it a “lesbian” group (that didn’t sound very fun) – so you were queer. Everyone who was gay or lesbian wrap themselves up (whether they liked it or not) under the umbrella of “queer.” Forget names like the Mattachine Society or the Daugthers of Bilitis (circa 1950s) – those names weren’t PC enough – they didn’t include the whole spectrum of gay – so queer it was.

Fast forward a couple of decades and someone came to the conclusion they didn’t want to be called queer. It was too negative, too stereotypical or simply implied you were flambuyoant. So they would rather be called gay. The ladies in turn became upset and said – what a minute – what about us – were not “gay” we are “lesbians” (circa 1980s). So what are a bunch of queer faggots to do at this point? Enter the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Okay, so this is not a social group but you get the idea – in an attempt to include everyone in the same social sphere , gay organizations had to come up with a name that tackled both men and women (circa 1990s).

But just wait one queer faggot gay lesbian minute! What if you liked the best of both worlds – a girl one day and a guy the next. You wanted to be included in the social sphere? So what do we do now? So in the mid 1990’s, we found ourselves once again pushing to come up with terminology specifically pointing out the inclusion of a new group of people – bisexuals and transgendered folks. After all, we were ending another era that said only gay and lesbian people should be apart of this “special” community and there are others who also needed to be represented.

So somewhere in a hidden dark dank room, a group of people said, let’s come up with some letters. Will use “L” for lesbian, “G” for gay, “B” for bisexual and “T” for transgendered. Not a bad idea – but what order do we put them in? I know – GLBT – gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community. Fair enough you say….Nope!! Another debate in sued (which for the life of me) has still not been answered today. Is it LGBT or GLBT (the ladies wanted “L” first because this represented the recognition that men would no longer hold dominance over women)? So for many many years (okay well may be only 10 or 15) – we “gay, faggot, queer, lesbian folks” were okay with the term LGBT or GLBT to describe our community and inclusion it represented.

End of the story? As nice as it would be to say yes, the “PC” debate never ends quietly. No “PC” history would be complete without someone out there feeling like they were being left out. The “(Q)ueer” people wanted back in, the “(Q)uestioning” people want to be considered, not to mention the “(I)ntersex,” the “(P)olygamous,” the “(O)mnisexual,” the “(P)ansexual,” and the ever growning “(T)wo-(S)pirit” people.

Confused? Finding yourself racing to Google to see what exactly is a “Pansexual” – don’t feel alone. I think most of our community has no clue. But these groups of people felt that they deserve to have an inclusive part of our community. Thus, ladies and gentlemen – the LGBTQQIA has been formed. I mean, REALLY – LGBTTQQIA seems to run contrary to the purpose of acronyms and this is not just inclusive — it’s freakin exhaustive! I don’t really know what “two-spirited” means (I recall it has something to do with the first nations’ beliefs on gender), I’m not sure what the difference between “transgendered” and “intersexed” is, and I can’t even explain why “queer” doesn’t manage to cover all the other letters.

So my question is when does PC become way too PC? When have we gone too far in our effort to be inclusive and politically correct? Do we really need all of this to belong? If you are not in the alphabet soup, will you feel you have no place? What are your thoughts on this? I would be interested to know. Hit us up below with your comments and thoughts!!

Gay Newsweek magazine author Ramin Setoodeh created a firestorm of controversy as he suggested in his April online article that audiences (including him) could not accept gay actors playing straight. For some reason (according to Setoodeh), those actors come off “wooden or insincere” as if they are hiding something about themselves. When I heard these comments I was a bit surprised and shocked. As a gay movie watcher – I am constantly used to seeing straight play gay. Some straight guys do a great job of playing

Movie "Shelter" - two straight actors play gay

gay characters. But I think it can easily work the other way. All you have to do is turned to such actors as Montgomery Clift, James Dean, Sir Ian McKellen, Anthony Perkins and Sir John Gielgud. These actors have proven time and time again that your personal lifestyle doesn’t have to affect your ability to “act” or “play a role.” It is not about your personal life, it is about your ability to act and play a role – to step outside of yourself and into the role of another character.

But I think this questions points to a much larger issue that has not been addressed. I don’t think it’s about gay playing straight. I think it’s about our perception on exactly what “gay” is. The straight community for decades has always looked at gay and lesbian people through a very narrow lens. If you are a male, then you are probably a cross dressing, flaming, flamboyant guy. If you are a woman, you are butch or overly manly. So if perceptions govern reality, then your perception of gay and lesbian people directly translate to your opinion of them on-screen.

Sir Ian McKellen in LOTR - swishy he is not!!

If your perception of gay men is swishy – then that is what you will see when they are acting no matter what they do. How they walk, how they talk, how they laugh will directly tie into your “swishy” image of gay men. If you believe all gay men are hair dressers and flight attendants – then if you see a gay actor playing some macho FBI agent – your perceptions and stereotypes of what gay represents will get in the way of seeing the actor for the role he is in – “playing a FBI agent.” If your perception of a lesbian is a car mechanic or woman with more balls than you will ever have – then that is what you will assume all lesbians are (lipstick lesbians be damned).

This is the mistake, in my opinion, Setoodeh is making in his article. He is a gay man caught up in the same stereotypes and perceptions that constantly keep LGBT folks from getting their fair share of the American pie. As a country, we now accept that black actors can play Presidents of the US or heads of companies. We now accept that women can lead police agencies or play roles of power-hungry business leaders.

James Dean - gay, bi, straight - the jury is still out

If we have gotten past those stereotypes, we can get pass the ones of gay playing straight.

It use to be a time when gay actors were scarred to come out as they felt it would destroy their career. Now gay actors have to worry about if they come out, they will be typecast into gay only roles. How’s that for a double standard…..

Greetings from your friends at The Click Click Expose Gay Podcast Network. We are a network of different podcast shows produced by Click Click Expose (Gay Entertainment Media) with contributions from our friends, supporters and content producers.

We want to welcome our newest show to the podcast network – This Show Is So Gay with Ken and Becca from Vermont. They are a news, interview, music and talk podcast show done live on WVEW 107.7 FM in Brattleboro, VT. Welcome to the network!! Also, the Pageant Soup Podcast show has also returned with new host Mr. Black America 2010 Xavier Cole as he talks about the world of gay male pageantry.

Whether its a music show, love show, news or entertainment – we have something for everyone. We invite you to come check it out and be apart of our community.

aww…you got to love Hollywood rumors. If there is one thing in Hollywood that is sure to sell newspapers, create internet sensation and be the topic of conversation around the water cooler – is if a certain actor or actress is gay or not. Harry Potter fans have been in a tizzy (well maybe not all of the fans – just the gays ones) over whether the actor is gay or not. His participation in the Trevor Project ads in early 2010 gave gay fans hope that the popular actor was actually one of us. Alas, according to Radcliffe, is not true. In an interview he had with MTV news as he was working on the Trevor Project, he categorically denied being gay. “If people want to say that, they can,” he […Daniel Radcliffe…] said. “But I’m not. I’m straight.” He is passionate about the Trevor Project and its goals for all LGBT yourth. The Trevor Project is a nonprofit organization that offers suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth and Daniel Radcliffe has spoken passionately about the importance of helping these at-risk kids and removing the stigma of coming out. The 20 year old actor has never shied away from the rumors of him being gay and feels it would not have hurt his career in anyway – but alas he says no to the whole gay thing. One can only hope!! But kudos to Radcliffe for being a positive face in the gay and lesbian community – that is why he will always have our continued support.

A little background on our actor: Radcliffe was born July 23, 1989 in West London, England and began his first experience at acting at age 5. At age 10 (1999), he made his first acting debut in the BBC’s televised two-part adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel David

Daniel Radcliffe

Copperfield, portraying the title character as a young boy. Radcliffe auditioned for Harry Potter in 2000 and appeared in his first Harry Potter film in 2001. J.K. Rowling approved of Radcliffe’s portrayal calling him the best choice to play Harry Potter. He has made 6 Harry Potter films with the last two coming out in 2010 and 2011.

Fans of the American DJ, singer songwriter & musician Moby (AKA Richard Melville Hall) will be happy that he hasn’t lost any of the style and flair that has propelled him to the top of the ambient electronica music scene. Moby has released today his new album “Wait For Me. Remixes!” It is an album of reconceived tracks from last year’s critically acclaimed “Wait For Me” album but as an added twist – he gets some help from some of the top names in the dance music scene like Tiesto, Laidback Luke, Gui Boratto and Carl Cox. His album release includes a second disc that contains all of the new mixes of his original album tracks. Of course half of the fun of listening to music is hearing a good take on a remix and Moby does not disappoint. And don’t forget, he just recently put out a video as well to the title song “Wait For Me” playing a video game character with Kelly Scarr on vocals. We have the link to both the new video with the video game theme and I found the original video shot in 2009. You can watch both videos on Planet Q TV. Here are the links:

Moby has been a jack of trades his entire career. He sings and play guitar, keyboard, bass guitar and drums. He achieved 8 Top 40

Moby in Denmark (2009)

singles in the UK in the 1990s. His 1999 album Play brought him worldwide attention with 8 hit singles (remember “Porcelain” and “Natural Blues”) selling more than 10 million copies. His follow up albums included 18 (2002), Hotel (2005), Last N ight (2008) and now Wait For Me. While the mid 2000’s have not been kind to the king of electronica (his success came mainly in the 1990’s), his last two albums have reminded fans why they love listening to his music. The “Wait For Me. Remixes!” is a worthy addition to your collection – we will definitely be adding it to our DJ collection!!

Okay so you may not be a fan of Elton John but you have to admit he doesn’t do anything small. His entire career has been built around his over the top fashion sense and wildly impassioned concert performances (not to mention those signature glasses of his – donned when he was a kid as a tribute to his idle Buddy Holly). So it should come as no surprise that his latest venture onto the stage is just as elaborate and just as entertaining as the past.

Elton John at Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall held a charity event featuring Madonna, Lady Gaga and Sting dressed up in drag and Elton took the stage supported by a cast of hunky underwear clad male back up dancers. I am sure he was enjoying every minute of it. The Rainforest Fund along with Sting’s wife Trudie Styler produced the event to support the preservation of rain forests across the world. I thought you would enjoy these pictures from the event.

I will give it to Elton, at 63 he is still commanding the stage with his electrifying performances. In his four decade career, Elton John has sold more than 250 million records making him one of the most successful artist of all time. The single “Candle In The Wind” produced in 1997 single handedly sold more than 37 million copies becoming one of the best selling singles of all time. He has more than 50 Top 40 hits, including seven consecutive No. 1 U.S.

Don't you wish Elton...don't you wish!!

albums, 56 Top 40 singles, 16 Top 10, four No. 2 hits, and nine No. 1 hits. He has won five Grammy awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. Elton John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, was knighted Sir Elton John in 1998 and entered into a civil partnership with his partner David Furnish in 2005. He continues to this day to be a staunch advocate on the worldwide fight to combat AIDS.

In a country where talks of “first” is still high on the social ladder, we have another “first” to talk about for the gay and lesbian community. First, a little back story. It has been seven years since the Episcopal Church created a firestorm of controversy when it decided that indeed a gay man could be a bishop. Fast forward to today and we find that yes a lesbian woman can be a bishop as well. The Rev. Canon Mary Glasspool, of Baltimore, was ordained and consecrated on Saturday, making her the second openly gay bishop in Episcopal church history and one of the first two female bishops in the Diocese of Los Angeles’ 114-year history. The fact that it has taken 114 years for a woman to become a bishop is amazing – the fact that it is a lesbian women is nothing short of amazing.

While I will never understand the politics and angst that comes with the Church and their politics, many are happy to see Rev Glasspool take her position in history. She was installed at Long Beach Arena before 3,000 people and according to a church spokesman, the arena erupted in applause after the installation ceremony. The Rev was quoted as saying to the media: “the church’s willingness to ordain women and gays shows a commitment that goes beyond mere inclusive language.”

Let’s here it for the Episcopal church that continues to show that their is a place for everyone in God’s world. – Thomas (Click Click Expose)

Easier………..Simpler…………..Cheaper…………

It’s the all new Pageant Pay Per View Online Viewing Service.

1) Go to the Click Click Expose website at: (www.clickclickexpose.com) and look for the Video Sharing/Planet Q TV button. Click on that button;

2) Go to the “channels page” and look for the Pay Per View video channel;

3) Browse our selection of videos (new videos are added every week) and choose one of the videos you wish to watch;

4) Play the video. After 45 seconds, the video will stop playing and ask for you to buy a weekly subscription rental for $15.00.

5) Pay for your weekly rental. After you pay, you are directed back to the Planet Q TV website.

6) You are now a PREMIUM MEMBER. You can watch any video that is in our Pay Per View Video Channel for the next 7 days. ANY VIDEO – ANY TIME – 7 DAYS.

7) After 7 days, you will be charged another weekly subscription fee unless you cancel your membership. Subscriptions are paid for thru Pay Pal – you must cancel your subscription through Pay Pal.

NO REFUNDS ON PAY PER VIEW MEMBERSHIPS. One membership per person per account. Users who give out or give away their log in information will be permanently banned from the website via your IP address. Your IP address is recorded on every membership. Valid email is required. If you have questions concerning your Planet Q TV Premium Membership Account, please email us at: ccevideo@empirevideoproductions.com.

Thanks and enjoy the new Pageant Pay Per View Online Service. More videos are coming soon!!

May greetings from your friends at The Click Click Expose Gay Podcast Network. We are a network of different podcast shows produced by Click Click Expose (Gay Entertainment Media) with contributions from our friends, supporters and content producers.

We want to welcome our newest show to the podcast network – This Show Is So Gay with Ken and Becca from Vermont. They are a news, interview, music and talk podcast show done live on WVEW 107.7 FM in Brattleboro, VT. Welcome to the network!! Also, the Pageant Soup Podcast show has also returned with new host Mr. Black America 2010 Xavier Cole as he talks about the world of gay male pageantry.

Whether its a music show, love show, news or entertainment – we have something for everyone. We invite you to come check it out and be apart of our community.

Thank goodness for wifi at Club Basix. I love it when a club lets it patrons take advantage of new technology. I am sitting here listening to booming music while waiting for the pageant to start. So I thought I would update the blog with some pictures and the latest video links. Preliminary night is scheduled for three nights and tonight represents the last night of preliminary. There were 11 boys and 3o ladies as contestants. The competition has been amazing and this is a great turnout for a pageant operating under a new name and new ownership.

Contestant at this year's pageant

Who would of though that the Midwest could hold such a fabulous pageant. I have to admit, even though the city is small and has a very Midwest feel – it is quite nice out here. Now only if there were more places to eat downtown around the hotel (within walking distance), I would be happy (but I digress).

Okay so I posted new trailer videos for everyone to watch. Something for the guys, something for the girls and and some fabulous entertainment. (and as a side note – I look up and the county fire department is taking someone out of the club – too intoxicated, sick, too many roofies – who knows and I am not going to find out – and damn the night hasn’t even started yet).

I won’t be able to upload a lot of videos from Saturday night as I have to catch up on some rest (after the pageant Sunday – I have to drive to Dayton, OH to film a EOY contestant’s presentation video), but I will upload the folks who were selected for the top 5. Good luck to all of the contestants. Your hard work is definitely showing.

Sierra Spaulding - Miss Gay International 2009

Stay tune for more preview videos from finals night later on in the week. Also, when I return to Miami, I will update the pricing on the DVDs as well.

After a way too long journey to the midwest, I finally got into the small town of Cedar Rapids to film the 2010 Mr. and Miss Gay International Pageant. The pageant is owned and operated by the legendary Entertainer Dena Cass and is being held at Club Basix for the preliminary night events and at the Piano Bar for finals night. I have to say I like the small intimate setting of Club Basix – the dance floor is a good size for a small pageant with plenty of good room to watch. A small crowd of well wishers from all across the country was on hand to watch the contestants compete. 11 boys and 30 girls entered into the pageant – a tremendous effort by Dena in the first year of reorganizing the international pageant.

Thursday night was the first night of the pageant – preliminary night. Contestants were broken up into groups for evening gown, talent for the ladies and presentation for the guys. Here are some preview videos for you to watch:

Pageant owner Alexus D’Marco Braxton just held here first ever 2010 Miss International Closet Ball Pageant (a prelim to the Miss International Newcomer Pageant to be held in Jackson, MS this June). It was a small and quaint gathering at the Quality Inn Sawgrass Conference Center as Taniyah Dior Dupree was the winner of the pageant. Congratulations to Taniyah for winning the pageant.

Miss International Closet Ball & MBI Pageant

This pageant also was billed as a double crowning with the 2nd runner up being named the Miss Black International pageant winner. That winner was Malaysia Foxx.

Congratulations to both ladies as they won this year’s pageant. Interested in seeing what the contest was about. Purchase the DVD from www.clickclickexpose.com.